Judge Orders $6B in Damages for 9/11 Plaintiffs

A federal magistrate judge has determined that Iran, Hezbollah, al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, and the Taliban should pay the families of 9/11 victims over six billion dollars in damages for the injuries suffered during the September 11, 2001 attacks.  The plaintiffs in the lawsuit received a default judgment against the defendants on December 22, 2011.  The damage award is largely symbolic, however, since it will be nearly impossible to recover any funds from the defendants.